The Cross Keys

Built in 1708 and the oldest pub in Chelsea, with a list of regulars from Turner to the Rolling Stones.

★ 4.3 $$$ Chelsea, London A historic Chelsea pint, a seasonal dinner, a Sunday roast

Published September 15, 2025 · by the barsforKings editorial team

The Pitch

The Cross Keys stands on Lawrence Street off the King's Road, built in 1708 and, by Wikipedia's account, the oldest pub in Chelsea. It reopened in 2015 after several years closed.

Its history is the hook. The artists Turner, Whistler, and Sargent, the writers Agatha Christie and Dylan Thomas, and the Rolling Stones all passed through. Come for a pint in a 300-year-old room, a seasonal dinner, and a Sunday roast. Skip it if you want cheap drinks, because Chelsea prices apply.

At a Glance

Address1 Lawrence Street, Chelsea, London SW3 5NB

NeighbourhoodChelsea, London

Nearest transitSloane Square (Circle, District), about 18 minutes; bus along King's Road

Price Range$$$

Typical spendabout £7.50 a pint, £11 cocktails

Drinks specialtySeasonal British food, real ale, cocktails, Sunday roasts

ReservationsWalk in for the bar; book the dining room and roasts

HoursOpen daily for lunch and dinner, with Sunday roasts. Check the official site for current times.

Best forA historic Chelsea pint, a seasonal dinner, a Sunday roast

Plan Your Visit

The Cross Keys is in Chelsea, London. Walk in for the bar; book the dining room and roasts.

Get Directions Ask Our Team

1 Lawrence Street, Chelsea, London SW3 5NB

The Room

The pub keeps a cosy, low-beamed character across a bar and a dining area, with a conservatory and garden space behind. The 2015 reopening restored it after years dark.

It reads as a proper historic Chelsea local rather than a polished gastropub conversion. London Unattached and NationalWorld both stress the period feel as the draw.

The Drinks

The bar keeps award-winning ales, craft beer, wine, and cocktails, a broader range than a basic local. Cocktails sit around eleven pounds in line with the postcode.

Order a cask ale or a cocktail and sit in the old front bar. The kitchen runs inventive seasonal dishes alongside pub classics, with the Sunday roast a repeat recommendation, so a drink to match the table works best.

What to Order

An award-winning cask ale

The bar leans into its ale range. The right first order in a 300-year-old room.

A cocktail

Around eleven pounds, a step up from a basic pub list.

A seasonal main

The kitchen runs inventive, hearty plates that change through the year.

The Sunday roast

A repeat recommendation. Book the dining room ahead.

The Crowd and Vibe

The Cross Keys draws Chelsea and Battersea locals, history-minded visitors, and a weekend dining crowd in for the roast.

It runs busiest at Sunday lunch and on weekend evenings. The mood is warm and laid back rather than a scene, fitting a 300-year-old local.

What Regulars Say

The age and the guest list are the story. Wikipedia and NationalWorld both lead with 1708 and the Turner-to-Rolling-Stones history.
The food and the welcome get steady praise, with reviewers calling the cooking inventive and hearty.
The 2015 reopening is noted as the save that brought a long-closed Chelsea landmark back into use.